1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to components for watercraft and more specifically to a wake control system for vessels used primarily for water sports, and a related underwater exhaust system.
2. Description of Related Art
Wakeboard or wake surfing is a popular water sport that combines water skiing, snowboarding, and surfing techniques. Typically, a rider utilizing a wake board is towed behind a motorboat or personal watercraft which generates a wake on which the rider can carry out various riding techniques including jumps, spins, flips, and other tricks. The power output and type of motorboat generally dictates the size and shape of the wake on which the rider rides. In most cases, a typical motorboat generates a wake that, due to various hydrodynamic forces, is only surfable or rideable on one side. In order to affect the wake, such as to move the rideable portion of the wake from one side to another, the motorboats often have a variable ballast system, which allows for water to be pumped into and out of the tanks in order to increase displacement to one side of the boat and move the surfable portion of the wake. Alternatively, some motorboats utilize drag hardware deployed at the sides of the vessel in order to switch the side on which a surface quality. However, experience has shown that these ballasts, hardware, and other means for redirecting the wake are cumbersome and often dangerous to the rider, boat operators, docks, swimmers, surrounding vessels, etc. Moreover, the use of devices that deploy beyond the hull on each side creates a great deal of drag rendering the vessel difficult to steer. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved manner and means of alternating the wake generated by the a motorboat in order to enhance rideability.
Several attempts have been made at addressing the common issues with wake generation, however none have adequately solved the problem in a simple to operate, effective, and cohesive manner that avoids hardware that protrudes from the envelope of the vessel. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,534,214 to Gasper describes a system for modifying a boat's wake, which includes an aft rudder pivotally mounted to the watercraft for steering the watercraft, and one or two fins pivotally mounted to the watercraft substantially along its centerline and forward the rudder in a central position of the hull. The fin(s) pivots about an upright axis to modify the wake produced by the watercraft, and an actuator mounted within the boat and operably coupled to the fin(s) allows for pivoting the fin relative to the centerline. An operator controlled actuator selectively pivots the fin to a desired angle relative to the centerline.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,424,531 to Zsido describes a controlling device which includes at least first and second trim tab-like plates having a bottom surface which is convexly curved between their forward and rear ends, and are mounted to the port and starboard sides of the boat transom. The forward ends of the plates pivot upwardly and downwardly similar to a conventional trim tab. Actuator controls adjustably pivot the plates relative to the mounts. A plurality of small generally triangular fins extend from the plates at substantially right angles to the plate bottom surfaces and extend at substantially right angles from the axes, for the purpose of facilitating advantageous flow performance of the plate through the water. Side plates are on the lateral edges of the first and second plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,672 to Bentz illustrates a boat stabilizer for eliminating “porpoising”, the up and down movement of the bow as the boat moves through water. The stabilizer includes a wedge-shaped member formed on an adjustably mounted trim tab located on the underside of the anti-cavitation plate of an outboard motor. The wedge-shaped member has a downwardly inclined lower surface extending laterally from and perpendicularly to a fin-shaped member of the trim tab. Movement of the boat through water imparts a force against the downwardly inclined surface to effect a generally vertical torque on the boat to eliminate porpoising in a given speed range. The force imparted is proportional to the angle of attack of the inclined surface, so that upward displacement of the bow is opposed by a proportionately greater force on the inclined surface. A number of stabilizers are provided with different angles of the downwardly inclined surface relative to the anti-cavitation plate for each stabilizer, so that an appropriate stabilizer can be selected for different boat/outboard motor combinations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,666 to McGowen describes a conventional outboard motor comprising a rotatably mounted propeller, and a non-conventional “trim tab” mounted on the motor's cavitation plate for pivotal movement, and a linkage for rotating the assembly in response to movement of the propulsion unit. The device includes dual “trim tab elements or fins”, which are vertical plates protruding downwardly from the cavitation plate.
It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. However, in view of the wake modifying devices for motorboats in existence at the time of the present inventions, it was not obvious to those persons of ordinary skill in the pertinent art as to how the identified needs could be fulfilled in an advantageous manner, nor to design a wake control device with the structural and functional features set forth herein.